In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raze Palestinian farmland in Umm al-Jimal. Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian man, withholding his body, injure 9 others with live ammunition, and 35 with tear gas. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian man in Tammun. Elsewhere, Israeli forces assault and injure a Palestinian man in al-Twana in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli forces also demolish a home in Nablus and a barn in Wadi Rahal. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue raids in Jenin and Jenin refugee camp for the 108th day in a row. Israeli forces also continue raids in Tulkarm, Tulkarm refugee camp, and Nur Shams refugee camp for the 102nd day in a row. Israeli forces arrest 45 Palestinians during raids in and around Hebron, Salfit, Jenin, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raid 6 UNRWA schools in Shu’fat and Wadi Juz in the middle of the school day, forcing them to close permanently. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Dayr al-Balah, Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza City, Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanun, and Khan Yunis, killing dozens of Palestinians. 2 Israeli soldiers are killed in Rafah. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Nabatieh, killing 1 person and injuring 8 others. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/8; HA 5/9)
More than 52,760 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 18,000 children and 12,749 women, and around 119,265 have been injured since 10/7/2023. In addition, 14,222 Palestinians who have been missing are presumed dead. 960 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 192 children. More than 8,000 people have been injured. Israel reports that 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 injured in Israel since 10/7/2023, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 413 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,634 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27/2023. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7/2023. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12/2023 due to the Israeli blockade. 92% of all housing units in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged since 10/7/2023. (WAFA 5/8)
Israel places Palestinian journalist Ali al-Samoudi in administrative detention for an initial period of 6 months. (AP, WAFA 5/8)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas arrives in Moscow to participate in the 80th anniversary celebration of Victory Day. (WAFA, WAFA 5/8)
The U.S. State Department says a new foundation will lead aid distribution efforts in Gaza in the future. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has released a document describing plans for 4 distribution centers in Gaza providing aid to 1.2 million people. Former UN World Food Programme director David Beasley is reportedly in talks with the Trump administration to lead the foundation. The UAE rejects participation in the U.S.-Israeli aid scheme. UNICEF says any new aid delivery formula would increase suffering for children. (AX, REU 5/8; AP, AX, HA, NYT, REU 5/9)
Haaretz reports that the Israeli government’s war objectives approved on 5/4 are ranked as: 1) defeating Hamas; 2) operational control of Gaza territory; 3) demilitarization of Gaza; 4) targeting Hamas governance infrastructure; 5) managing and mobilizing the civilian population; 6) securing the release of the captives. (HA 5/8)
EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Kaja Kallas says EU foreign ministers will hold formal discussions on 5/20, reviewing the EU-Israel Association Agreement due to Israel’s conduct in Gaza. The Dutch government has said it would block the extension of the agreement unless there is a formal review of it. (AP 5/8)
U.S. secretary of defense Pete Hegseth cancels a trip to Israel scheduled for the beginning of next week to accompany U.S. president Donald Trump on his trip to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar from 5/13-5/15. (AX 5/9)
Al Jazeera reports that Israel is using retrofitted commercial drones manufactured by the Chinese tech company DJI to bomb hospitals and shelters and surveil Palestinians used as human shields. (AJ 5/8)
The Zeteo documentary Who Killed Shireen names Shireen Abu Akleh’s killer as Duvdevan unit sniper Alon Scagio, who later was killed in an explosion in Jenin refugee camp in 2024. Former Biden administration officials tell the documentary makers that the Israeli government, led by Naftali Bennett at the time, refused to cooperate with U.S. attempts to lightly probe the killing of Abu Akleh. (AJ, AJ, AJ, NYT, WAFA 5/8)